On home ground

Forced to return to their roots after their shows were canceled because of the pandemic, two performers have found a new lease on life, Chen Nan reports.

When Li Degjin got onstage and started dancing, audiences were intrigued by his movements. The maneuvering of his hands, shoulders and legs originate from the nomadic way of life in North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region. They express aspects of the ethnic Mongolian lifestyle, such as household labor, customs and traditions.

Li left his hometown and came to Beijing as a teenager to study at Minzu University of China, where he graduated in 2005. Since then, Li has been pursuing his dream of being an independent dancer touring the big cities around the country.

Like many young people pursuing their dreams in bigger cities, Li had no plan to return to his hometown until his life and regular job as a dancer were disturbed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

With his performances and tours canceled or postponed, Li moved back to Bayannuur, Urad Front Banner, where he was born and grew up, meeting childhood friends and family members he hadn't seen for years.

One day in the early summer of 2020, Li drove with his longtime friend, singer Khuslen, to the Ulan Suhai Lake, just for fun. Like Li, Khuslen, who rose to fame by performing Hongyan (Swan Goose), an old Mongolian folk song, also lived and worked in Beijing and other big cities around the country. They were amazed by the beautiful natural scenery of Ulan Suhai Lake and they danced and sang near the lake.